The middle class, though economically occupies an intermediary position, primarily defines its identity and social standing through cultural consumption, behavioral patterns, and distinction from lower classes. In contrast, the lower class typically consists of groups with limited access to economic, cultural, and social capital, shaping a lifestyle centered on survival and meeting basic needs. However, in recent years, a new social category has emerged in Iran: the poor middle class. This group continues to identify with the middle class, yet over the past decade, it has experienced economic decline, effectively pushing it into poverty. While its past lifestyle, habits, and consumption patterns aligned with those of the middle class, economic hardships stemming from corruption, inefficiency, and sanctions have gradually eroded its financial stability. Despite this decline, the group remains distinct from the lower class, as it still maintains the aspirations, cultural dispositions, and social sensibilities characteristic of the middle class.

This paper examines the 2024 mini-series At the End of the Night (Dar Entehā-ye Shab), directed by Ayda Panahi, which portrays the struggles of a middle-class family striving to uphold its former way of life while simultaneously confronting economic precarity. By analyzing the challenges faced by this impoverished middle-class family, we argue that this emerging social group—though economically vulnerable and preoccupied with securing basic necessities—actively seeks to preserve its middle-class identity. This very tension, we contend, has led to the formation of a distinct social identity.